Patents by Inventor Stephen Andrew Steger

Stephen Andrew Steger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250147339
    Abstract: Eyewear hinge assemblies for eyewear that connect temples to a frame. The hinge assemblies include hinge elements that are attached to the temples in an extended state, which stores an initial amount of energy or pre-load. The pre-load biases the temples inwardly and toward one another. After the temples are placed on the user's head, stored energy in the hinge elements can be released as the hinge elements exhibit elastic recoil. This causes the temples to grip the sides of the user's head in a snug and comfortable fit. The hinge assemblies have compact designs with material properties that provide comfortable closing forces while aiding in the reduction of electromagnetic noise from electrical subsystems in the eyewear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2025
    Publication date: May 8, 2025
    Inventors: Chukwubuikem Marcel Okoli, Benamanahalli K. Nagaraj, Nicholas Streets, Stephen Andrew Steger, Jordan Wakser, Choonshin You, Ugur Olgun
  • Patent number: 12293978
    Abstract: Various circuit board systems and methods of use and manufacture thereof are disclosed. A circuit board system can have a first circuit board including a substrate and a first component susceptible to electromagnetic interference carried by the substrate. The system can also include a second circuit board including a second substrate, and a shield engaged to the substrate of the first component, the shield at least partially covering the first component and being configured to protect the first component from electromagnetic interference, wherein the shield couples the substrate of the first circuit board to the substrate of the second circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Steger, Emily Lauren Clopp
  • Publication number: 20250141096
    Abstract: An antenna system comprises a driven antenna element connected to a printed circuit board (PCB), and a plurality of PCB extenders provided by electrical conductors connected to a PCB ground plane for cooperation with the driven antenna element in signal communication. In an eyewear device that incorporates the antenna system, the plurality of PCB extenders are provided by conductive structural elements incorporated in an eyewear frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventors: Andrea Ashwood, Patrick Kusbel, Jun Lin, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Ugur Olgun, Russell Douglas Patton, Patrick Timothy McSweeney Simons, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Publication number: 20250123502
    Abstract: A housing assembly for an electronics-enabled device includes a housing wall having parallel inner and outer faces, with a hinge base affixed through the wall. The hinge base has a shank extending through the wall and a joint mount exterior to the housing for hingedly mounting an external component. An anchor plate inside the housing is welded to the shank, preventing axial withdrawal of the hinge base by obstruction against the inner face. The welded connection rotationally keys the anchor plate to the hinge base. The assembly enables integration of electronics components mounted on the anchor plate, which can serve as a thermal conductor between heat-generating components and an external heatsink via the hinge base. In electronics-enabled eyewear, the hinge base provides hinged connection of a temple to an eyewear frame. Manufacturing involves locating the hinge base and anchor plate, translationally fastening them together threadedly, and spot-welding for rotational keying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2024
    Publication date: April 17, 2025
    Inventors: Emily Lauren Clopp, Jun Lin, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Stephen Andrew Steger, Nicholas Daniel Streets
  • Publication number: 20250067990
    Abstract: A support arm assembly for a head-worn device includes a metal support arm configured to form a rear face, a bottom face, and a top face of an enclosure for a projector, thermally coupled to the projector to act as a heatsink, configured to structurally attach to a rear structural element of the head-worn device, and configured to structurally attach to an optical element holder of the head-worn device, such that the metal support arm forms a structural support joining the optical element holder to the rear structural element without placing mechanical load on the projector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Inventors: Andrea Chantal Ashwood, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Patent number: 12228801
    Abstract: Eyewear hinge assemblies for eyewear that connect temples to a frame. The hinge assemblies include hinge elements that are attached to the temples in an extended state, which stores an initial amount of energy or pre-load. The pre-load biases the temples inwardly and toward one another. After the temples are placed on the user's head, stored energy in the hinge elements can be released as the hinge elements exhibit elastic recoil. This causes the temples to grip the sides of the user's head in a snug and comfortable fit. The hinge assemblies have compact designs with material properties that provide comfortable closing forces while aiding in the reduction of electromagnetic noise from electrical subsystems in the eyewear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Chukwubuikem Marcel Okoli, Benamanahalli K. Nagaraj, Nicholas Streets, Stephen Andrew Steger, Jordan Wakser, Choonshin You, Ugur Olgun
  • Patent number: 12213569
    Abstract: A carry case for an electronics-enabled eyewear device has incorporated therein electronic components for connection to the eyewear device while storing the eyewear device. The case comprises a rigid frame structure defining an openable holding space for the pair of smart glasses, and a compressible shock-resistant protective cover on the frame structure. The exterior of the case may be predominantly defined by the shock resistant protective cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Steger, Tiffany Ming Tsao, Qiaokun Huang
  • Patent number: 12212046
    Abstract: An antenna system comprises a driven antenna element connected to a printed circuit board (PCB), and a plurality of PCB extenders provided by electrical conductors connected to a PCB ground plane for cooperation with the driven antenna element in signal communication. In an eyewear device that incorporates the antenna system, the plurality of PCB extenders are provided by conductive structural elements incorporated in an eyewear frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Ashwood, Patrick Kusbel, Jun Lin, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Ugur Olgun, Russell Douglas Patton, Patrick Timothy McSweeney Simons, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Patent number: 12204174
    Abstract: A hinge assembly mounted on a housing of form part of an electronic device includes a metal hinge base extending through a mounting hole in a wall of the housing, the hinge base being connected in heat transfer relationship to a metal anchor plate on an inner side of the housing wall. The anchor plate additionally serves as a mounting base for heat-generating electronics inside the housing, the heat-generating electronics being in heat transfer relationship with the anchor plate, so that the anchor plate and the hinge base together form part of a heat transfer path conducting heat from the interior of the housing to an exterior heatsink provided be and external device component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Emily Lauren Clopp, Jun Lin, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Stephen Andrew Steger, Nicholas Daniel Streets
  • Patent number: 12174390
    Abstract: A support arm assembly for a head-worn device includes a metal support arm configured to form a rear face, a bottom face, and a top face of an enclosure for a projector, thermally coupled to the projector to act as a heatsink, configured to structurally attach to a rear structural element of the head-worn device, and configured to structurally attach to an optical element holder of the head-worn device, such that the metal support arm forms a structural support joining the optical element holder to the rear structural element without placing mechanical load on the projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Andrea Chantal Ashwood, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Publication number: 20240402529
    Abstract: Eyewear having electrochromic lenses for controlling a light transmissive property/tinting for a user's eye and a camera. The electrochromic lenses have an eye region for controlling light transmission to a user's eye, and a separate camera region for controlling light transmission to a camera. Two or more electrochromic lenses are provided to independently control the tinting for each of the user's eye, and two or more cameras. The electrochromic lenses comprise of multiple lens layers forming a single stack. Each layer has an opening configured to receive a fill material, such as a dye, such that the fill material can have different chemistries. The displays may also have different dye chemistries to allow for different tint ranges (wavelengths of light passed).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2024
    Publication date: December 5, 2024
    Inventors: Amit Singh, Stephen Andrew Steger, Samuel Bryson Thompson
  • Publication number: 20240324155
    Abstract: A shield can for an electronic eyewear device is described that reduces RF signals emanating from the electronic eyewear device. The shield can is attached to a ground plate of the electronic eyewear device using leaf springs on a side of the shield can. The leaf springs do not add to the stack-up thickness of the shield can assembly and provide a balanced force against the ground plate. The shield can is attached to a printed circuit board and encompasses radio frequency (RF) electronic components to prevent RF signals emanating from the RF electronic components. The leaf springs have a pair of fingers providing the balanced mechanical point force. A conductive pressure sensitive adhesive is also provided to secure a top surface of the shield can to the ground plate along with a thermal paste.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Chukwubuikem Marcel Okoli, Ugur Olgun, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Publication number: 20240312927
    Abstract: Various circuit board systems and methods of use and manufacture thereof are disclosed. A circuit board system can have a first circuit board including a substrate and a first component susceptible to electromagnetic interference carried by the substrate. The system can also include a second circuit board including a second substrate, and a shield engaged to the substrate of the first component, the shield at least partially covering the first component and being configured to protect the first component from electromagnetic interference, wherein the shield couples the substrate of the first circuit board to the substrate of the second circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Steger, Emily Lauren Clopp
  • Patent number: 12072566
    Abstract: Eyewear having electrochromic lenses for controlling a light transmissive property/tinting for a user's eye and a camera. The electrochromic lenses have an eye region for controlling light transmission to a user's eye, and a separate camera region for controlling light transmission to a camera. Two or more electrochromic lenses are provided to independently control the tinting for each of the user's eye, and two or more cameras. The electrochromic lenses comprise of multiple lens layers forming a single stack. Each layer has an opening configured to receive a fill material, such as a dye, such that the fill material can have different chemistries. The displays may also have different dye chemistries to allow for different tint ranges (wavelengths of light passed).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Singh, Stephen Andrew Steger, Samuel Bryson Thompson
  • Publication number: 20240250540
    Abstract: Methods and devices for wired charging and communication with a wearable device are described. In one embodiment, a symmetrical contact interface comprises a first contact pad and a second contact pad, and particular wired circuitry is coupled to the first and second contact pad to enable charging as well as receive and transmit communications via the contact pads as part of various device states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2024
    Publication date: July 25, 2024
    Inventors: Russell Douglas Patton, Jonathan M. Rodriguez, II, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Patent number: 12019309
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a button-enabled housing assembly includes preforming a composite button component or insert having an elastically flexible button membrane that is mounted on a rigid frame, and thereafter molding a housing over the button insert. The composite button insert is formed in a co-molding operation and can include a rigid island in the flexible button membrane for supporting a cosmetic keycap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Mape, Douglas Wayne Moskowitz, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Publication number: 20240192510
    Abstract: An article includes a hollow enclosure defining a void. The void has a first section and a second section separate from the first section. An electronic component is housed in the first section and the second section of the void. A low pressure mold material is molded into the first section of the void and cured around a first segment of the electronic component to encapsulate the first segment of the electronic component. A support seal is inserted into the second section of the void adjacent a second segment of the electronic component. The support seal defines a sealing barrier on one side of the low pressure mold material that limits the flow of low pressure mold material out of the first section of the void.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2024
    Publication date: June 13, 2024
    Inventor: Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Patent number: 12010825
    Abstract: A shield can for an electronic eyewear device is described that reduces RF signals emanating from the electronic eyewear device. The shield can is attached to a ground plate of the electronic eyewear device using leaf springs on a side of the shield can. The leaf springs do not add to the stack-up thickness of the shield can assembly and provide a balanced force against the ground plate. The shield can is attached to a printed circuit board and encompasses radio frequency (RF) electronic components to prevent RF signals emanating from the RF electronic components. The leaf springs have a pair of fingers providing the balanced mechanical point force. A conductive pressure sensitive adhesive is also provided to secure a top surface of the shield can to the ground plate along with a thermal paste.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Chukwubuikem Marcel Okoli, Ugur Olgun, Stephen Andrew Steger
  • Patent number: 12009311
    Abstract: Various circuit board systems and methods of use and manufacture thereof are disclosed. A circuit board system can have a first circuit board including a substrate and a first component susceptible to electromagnetic interference carried by the substrate. The system can also include a second circuit board including a second substrate, and a shield engaged to the substrate of the first component, the shield at least partially covering the first component and being configured to protect the first component from electromagnetic interference, wherein the shield couples the substrate of the first circuit board to the substrate of the second circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Snap Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Steger, Emily Lauren Clopp
  • Patent number: 11979044
    Abstract: Methods and devices for wired charging and communication with a wearable device are described. In one embodiment, a symmetrical contact interface comprises a first contact pad and a second contact pad, and particular wired circuitry is coupled to the first and second contact pad to enable charging as well as receive and transmit communications via the contact pads as part of various device states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: SNAP INC.
    Inventors: Russell Douglas Patton, Jonathan M Rodriguez, II, Stephen Andrew Steger